Moving Forward

Posted on January 31, 2012

You can never move forward in life while looking backward. This is one of the lessons I have learned over the past few months since this summer. When you are constantly looking at what happened a day ago, a week ago, a month ago…you really miss out on what you are trying to focus on today. Things are going to happen in life, that is a given, but with your head facing backwards instead of forwards, you will have no path. Eventually, you will walk into the creek because you were not focused.

People are going to misunderstand you. When you are living your dream and your passion, some will just not get it. You will hear a lot of the time “You are doing what?” I do not have a lot of time anymore to do the things I could over the summer because there simply is not enough hours in the day. Tied for first place in my priorities are a few things that really matter to me. They are also me living my dream each and every day. Writing here is part of the dream I am living out. Reading people’s stories and communicating with them about what is going on in life is something I am incredibly passionate about. There is a huge opportunity in this world and it is through one thing: inspiring people to live their life, not the life of someone else. That is my one true passion and purpose. If I can do that and focus on that, I know I will be successful in whatever I do.

Things are going to change. You cannot hold onto anything that is either good nor bad, you have to accept that people will come and go, things will come to you and be taken from you, and your perspective on life will alter. These realities are okay. There is nothing wrong with them. I find that the cardinal sin of life is resisting change. Without it, we would be the same. You might like where you are right now, but the only way you can be better is to grow. The only way you can grow is by going through a transformational process. I used to jabber a lot around friends and other people, but now my approach has changed a lot. I am of fewer words and starting to say things that actually matter. I do not fill the white space with nervous talk. If there was anything that I am proud of right now, is that I am starting to truly find the 100% authentic me. I am shaking off years of rust and dirt and uncovering the things that make me tick and make my life purposeful. I know that there is no specific plan set out for us when we are born and that is why creating the plan is so important and fun. I sometimes surprise myself with how much I get into things because I start to realize that this excitement is what I love about life and about finding myself. There are a few things at my core that I stand for (honesty, integrity, loyalty, respect) and there are a few things that are nonnegotiable for me. Those lines are set, now I can color in the space with whatever vibrant colors I please.

So my challenge today is to see how much color I can put into my life. Whether it is through interactions with people, my writing later on tonight, or my project, it will be full of color and light. There is no reason why you cannot create the life you wish. Sure there will be obstacles, sometimes of great magnitude…but thats the point. Don’t cheat around these, go right through them.

Evan Sanders

"raw. electric. a daily shock to the soul."

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Evan Sanders is a professional life coach, writer, and diehard encourager. He works with people all around the world through his life coaching practice AYKME and has dedicated his life to continuing a journey of personal development and adventure.

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I sat quietly with this post for a few and then read it once more. Sometimes you come to a realization that your partner isn’t walking the same path as you or maybe your partner is just content to sit quietly beside the road and watch the days and people go by while you are eager to run forward, so you stand at the edge of the grass waiting and hoping that he will put his shoes on…15 years go by…

If I were not so deeply in love with my husband of twenty-four years, I could fall for you! I think you are the kind of man ANY woman could fall in love with, because of who you are inside. You are a beautiful and wise man. I concur with every thing you’ve said in this wonderful post. Keep writing!

Women have a tendency to look backward with a broken heart. We review all aspects of the past, wonder what we could have done differently, and are saddened by times we cannot change. We dissect the past in hopes of changing the future. It is futile.

My husband, another wonderful man, taught me that the past is the past. Learn from it, cherish good memories, and put one foot in front of the other to move forward with life. What a wonderful less this is.

Another friend always ends his emails with “Create an incredible day!”
Thank you. It’s such a pleasure to get to know you and share your thoughts!

Your writing is very eloquent. I personally have noticed that there are alot of people on the path to authenticity. I’ve found when I began to live from my heart, and create my life based on that, people on the same path begin to pop up. Your words, as well as the words of others on their own path, really resonates with me. It reinstates my belief that all humans are coming from a similar consciousness. We can only hope you and others will facilitate the power of inspiration. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and confirming that belief for me.

I liked your post today – change is good even though it’s sometimes the harder choice. But you are right – staying the same means not growing and we need to keep growing and developing in order to to live life to the fullest. Great words!

I think so many people these days are longing to get to exactly where you’re obviously already at. I share your viewpoint and couldn’t agree more with what you’ve written here. This post will serve as inspiration for everyone in the process of determining what really makes them happy…what they really want to spend their time on…who they really want to spend their time with. Well done!

A few weeks ago, I read a quote somewhere on your site that said ‘You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one’.
I’m not much of a quote person, but it really hit a nerve and promptly became my desktop background.
It’s funny how much time and energy we waste looking behind us and recounting was has happened and what could have happened, when all that is positive and exciting is on the path ahead!
You’re blog is great, I look forward to following it and stealing more quotes in the future!